Description

The winner of seven Tonys, seven Grammys, an Oscar, and a Pulitzer Prize, Stephen Sondheim has become synonymous with the best in musical theatre. Now, in "Finishing the Hat", he has not only collected his lyrics for the first time, he's giving readers a rare, personal look into his extraordinary shows and life. Along with the lyrics, both published and unpublished, for all of his productions from 1954 to 1981 - including "West Side Story", "Company", "Follies", "A Little Night Music", and "Sweeney Todd", which have starred some of the most famous and talented actors in the world from Johnny Depp and Catherine Zeta Jones, to Judi Dench and Alan Rickman, "Finishing the Hat" is a celebration of the act of creation. Sondheim discusses his relationship with his mentor, Oscar Hammerstein II, and his collaborations with legends Leonard Bernstein, Richard Rodgers, Angela Lansbury, and countless others. His anecdotes - rich with history, personal insights, and intimate details - transport us back to a time when theatre was a major pillar of American culture.And throughout the book, Sondheim analyses his work and dissects his own songs as well as those of others, offering unparalleled insight into songwriting that will be studied for years to come. Brilliant, poignant, scathing, and funny, "Finishing the Hat" is the newest production Sondheim can add to his list of classic works.show more

About Stephen Sondheim

STEPHEN SONDHEIM wrote the music and lyrics for Saturday Night, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Anyone Can Whistle, Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, The Frogs, Pacific Overtures, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Sunday in the Park with George, Into the Woods, Assassins, Passion and Road Show as well as lyrics for West Side Story, Gypsy and Do I Hear A Waltz? and additional lyrics for Candide. Anthologies of his work include Side by Side by Sondheim, Marry Me A Little, You're Gonna Love Tomorrow and Putting It Together. For films, he composed the scores of Stavisky, co-composed Reds and wrote songs for Dick Tracy. Mr. Sondheim is on the Council of the Dramatists Guild, having served as its President from 1973 to 1981.show more